Jul 16, 2023
Mackay reef low tide by rob jeff Via Flickr: GBR
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Mackay reef low tide by rob jeff Via Flickr: GBR
Snorkeller up top by rob jeff Via Flickr: GBR FNQ snorkelling
As Kim mentioned I went snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. It was beautiful beyond words and the pictures I took do it barely any justice. The reefs close to shore are dying off at an alarming rate and they don't yet know why but the current suspicion is Global Climate Change. Coral polyps, the organisms which form coral reefs, can live in a very narrow range of temperatures, so even minimal changes in ocean temperatures can have a devastating effect.
The reef we went to was about 8km off-shore and not affected by the same issues. I had never seen such massive and beautiful coral. But, still the number of fish is down due to commercial fishing in the area. Ocean Safari, the tour group that took me to the reef, is pushing for protection of this section of the Great Barrier Reef and hopefully they will get it so that the fish can recover and future generations will be able to experience this awesome place.